School joins Chichester care home for a journey into Christmas past

Old festive traditions came to life at a care home in Chichester, where residents welcomed a local school for a day of seasonal activities. 

Care UK’s Chichester Grange, on Grosvenor Road in Donnington, joined forces with young visitors from Parklands Commuinty Primary School to revisit crafty customs from Christmas past.

The event was part of Care UK’s ‘Step into Christmas’ initiative, which aims to revive residents’ festive traditions, encouraging them to share memories with the younger generation. 

By blending storytelling, crafts and carol singing, the event created a space for meaningful intergenerational connection. 

Residents and pupils got crafty together to make a host of elf-made Christmas decorations, using a variety of colourful cards. Together, they created snowflakes, paper chains, and angels to top their trees at home.  

Resident Doreen said: “It is important to show children that making decorations is much more fun than buying them! I used to make them as a child, so this activity brought back lots of fond memories.

Nikki Burke, Home Manager at Chichester Grange, said: “We believe in the power of intergenerational connections, and inviting local schools to celebrate Christmas traditions with us is a great way to foster these relationships. 

“Crafting Christmas decorations was a wonderful opportunity for creative sparks to fly. It was lovely to see residents' faces light up as they shared memories from Christmases celebrated in their youth while teaching the children crafts they themselves learned decades ago. 

“It’s activities like these that keep traditions alive and ensure they are celebrated for generations to come. I’d like to say a big thank you to Parklands Community Primary School for coming along and making the day one to remember!”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence, Chichester Grange offers residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, with luxury facilities including a cinema, hair and beauty salon, pub and stunning gardens. It achieved ‘care home design of the year’ at the Leaders in Care Awards 2022.

For more information about Step Into Christmas, visit https://www.careuk.com/Step-into-Christmas